The historic amphitheater in the Gvar’am Forest was officially reopened on Sunday as a memorial for the 68 IDF soldiers who fell during Operation Protective Edge against Hamas in Gaza in 2014.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by bereaved families, public officials, and representatives of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF).
“My son went out to fight for his home. For us, Protective Edge was not just an operation, it was a war for our existence, for our lives here,” said Shmuel Lavi, father of Captain Liad Lavi, who fell during the battle. “In the 11 years that have passed since, the pain has not lessened, and we have come to understand that this was not a passing moment but an ongoing reality,” he added.
The renewed site includes two main elements: a restored 1,400-seat amphitheater for cultural and community events, and a memorial plaza with 68 commemoration circles. Each circle contains an oak tree planted in memory of a fallen soldier, with design features developed in consultation with bereaved families. A memorial wall bearing the names of the fallen stands beside the plaza.
Launched in July 2014, Operation Protective Edge lasted nearly 50 days and was among the IDF’s most difficult and protracted campaigns in Gaza. Sixty-eight soldiers and five civilians were killed. The Gvar’am site is the first official memorial established in their honor. Its location, just a short distance from the Gaza border—an area that endured heavy rocket fire for some two decades—was deliberately chosen.
“The amphitheater inaugurated here, close to the Gaza border, will carry the memory of the fallen of Protective Edge. But above all, it will be filled with people, children and families coming to celebrate and live life, and that is the true victory,” said Ifat Ovadia-Luski, chairwoman of KKL-JNF. “This place will connect the story of those who fought for this land with the generations who will continue to grow here.”
